Fiction & Illustration
Scarlett loved dancing. She believed that it was medicine for the soul. She decided that sitting around worrying, and obsessing over her plans to discover what was really going on, was like poison. She knew that the only one she was hurting with her ruminations, was herself.
She had seen a stack of flyers in the hotel lobby, advertising an evening of dance in one of the banquet halls – so she forced herself to go.
Scarlett eyed Alec the moment she walked in. He was one of the hosts, and he was also dreamy. Alec noticed her glance, smiled, and came over to introduce himself.
The two conversed for a while, and soon they were swinging and swirling across the floor. The entire time she danced, Scarlett thought nothing about leaving George at the altar, or the red roses that had been haunting her for weeks.
Unbeknownst to Scarlett, however, George’s mother was making one of her clandestine visits to the hotel, to drop off roses to the concierge. Mrs. Moonie had informed him that Scarlett was very dear to her, and that she enjoyed having these fresh flowers in her room, but that they needed to keep it “their” secret. In her usual fashion, she also winked and slipped a one hundred dollar bill into his pocket – which explains how they mysteriously appeared each day.
Mrs. Moonie was furious, of course, when she saw the way that Scarlett was dancing. But Scarlett was so entranced by the music, the dancing, and by Alec, that she never noticed her watching. Mrs. Moonie took off in a huff, and Scarlett was none the wiser.
The gala ended far too early, although it was actually far past midnight, and neither of the two wanted the night to end – so Alec offered to take her for a drive.
Their excursion took them to the top of the Hollywood Hills, where Scarlett had never been, and it turned out to be an evening to remember. Standing arm and arm, on the heights overlooking the valley, Scarlett and Alex watched the sun rise.
TO BE CONTINUED
What can I say? I’m a sucker for love stories, I suppose. Plus I felt sorry for Scarlett, so I wanted her to get some action. Romantic action that is.
I wasn’t sure where to go with the story (and I’m still a little unsure), but I had an idea for the dance illustration so I made that first – for a little inspiration. Mrs. Moonie in the window was a bit of an afterthought, but I liked the idea of getting her ticked off. She deserved it. So, there you have it.
Anyway, it’s late. Time to retire.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
-Janet
A Sprinkle of Faith 